Device for removing circumferential sealing bands from cans



- Nov. 26, 1957 E. J. BRASSEUR 2,8

DEVICE FOR REMOVING CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALING. BANDS FROM CANS Filed June20, 1955 INVEN TOR.

2,814,412 DEVICE FOR REMOVING CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALING BANDS FROM CANSFiled June 20, 1955 Nov. 26, 1957 E. J; BRASSEUR 2 She ets-Sheet 2 EElw5Z/V657'J. 52/055608 INVENTOR.

BY I i "2 v DEVICE FOR REMOVING CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALING BANDS FROM CANSErnest J. Brasseur, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June 20, 1955,Serial No. 516,490 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates todevices for removing the circumferential sealing strips or bands fromconventional coffee cans and the like, which sealing bands are removablybonded. to the cans by solder or the like. Such a can. has a lid at oneend that is secured circumferentially by the removable band.

A small winding key is furnished with each can and is usually lightlybonded to one end of the can for easy removal. This winding keytypically comprises a piece of stiff wire that is looped at one end toform a handle and is both flattened and slotted at the other end toreceive the starting end of the sealing band. Such a key, however, istoo small to be manipulated with ease for the removal of a sealing bandand it is difficult to rotate the key in a sufficiently stable manner tocause the band to wind in the form of a single, simple spiral. In theabsence of means to stabilize the rotation of the key relative to thecan, the sealing band wraps itself around the key in an irregular mannerto make the task progressively difiicult.

The broad object of the invention is to provide a relatively simpledevice to eliminate these difiiculties and to simplify for housewives.the task of opening coffee cans and the like. For this purpose theinvention provides a base member to seat against the lid end of the canand further provides a rotary member journalled in the base member,which rotary member is equipped with jaw means to grip the handleportion of the key.

To use the invention the key is applied to the end of the sealing bandon the can to initiate the winding operation, the lid end of the can isthen seated on the base member and the handle portion of the key isgripped by the rotary jaw means. The jaw means is then rotated about theaxis of the shank of the key for the desired winding and peeling action.

When the key is rotated in this manner to wind the sealing band thereon,the pull on the sealing band by the key is resisted by the solderbonding the band. This resistance tends to cause the can to rotate aboutthe axis of the key and if such rotation were permitted it would slidethe can clear off the base member. The invention further includes,therefore, means carried by the base member for contact with theperiphery of the can to limit such rotary displacement of the can on thebase member.

In the preferred practice of the invention a single projection on thebase member is provided for this purpose, this projection beingspacedfrom the rotary jaw means for peripheral contact with the can toblock the tendency of the can to slide off the seat surface. Thus thepeeling action caused by winding the sealing band onto the key simplymoves the can into peripheral or tangential abutment against the basemember projection and at this position further peeling action causes thecan to rotate substantially about its own axis. The projection, ofcourse, is spaced from the rotary winding jaws in the peripheraldirection of rotation of the can.

In this regard, a feature of the preferred practice of 2,814,4l2Patented Nov. 26, 1957 the invention is the positioning of the basemember projection at an angle of less than degrees from the position ofthe key in the rotary jaw means, the apex of the 90 degree angle beingat the axis of the can. The projection, moreover, has a relativelyextensive surface for abutment with cans to make it possible to use thedevice with cans of different configurations and of widely differentcross-sectional dimension. Thus a can of relatively small diameter orcross-sectional dimension, abuts the base member projection at a pointrelatively close to the gripped key and a can of larger diameter orcross-sectional dimension abuts the projection at greater distance fromthe key.

As will be explained, further features of the invention relate to thespecific. construction and arrangement of the rotary jaw means. Thesefeatures along with other objects and advantages. of the invention willbe apparent from the following detailed description taken with theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings, whichv are to illustrative:

Fig. l is, a perspective view of the presently preferred embodiment ofthe invention with a can shown thereon in phantom;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device at the beginningof a band-peeling operation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontalv section. taken. as indicated by theline 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the can at a later stage of the peelingaction;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of. the device showing the. configurations ofvarious cans thereon;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the rotary jaw means in open position toreceive the handle portion of a key;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the jaw means taken as indicated by theline 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 7- 7 ofFig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing how an adapter may be substituted,for the rotary jaw assembly and crank in a further practice of theinvention.

The principal parts of the embodiment of the invention illustrated bythe drawings include a base member, generally designated, by numeral 10,that has a planar seating surface 12 for sliding contact. with the lidend of a can C that has a circumferential sealing band. If desired, thisseating surface 12 may be broken by a series of grooves 14.

Preferably the base member 10 is adapted for mounting on a Wall. Forthis purpose the. base member 10 is provided with a mounting flange 15to wedge into a wall bracket 16 in a well known manner. The wall bracket1'6 may be made of sheet metal with a central web 18 adapted formounting on. a. wall 20 by suitable screws 22. The wall bracket 16 isshaped. to form two grooves 24 and these grooves are inclined to form aWedge channel for the tapered mounting flangev 15. A suitable thumbscrew 25 may be advantageously threaded into the mounting flange 15 forabutment against the wall bracket 16 to make the base member 10 rigidrelative to the wall.

In accord with; the invention, the base member 10 is formed with acircular opening 26 to journal a rotary jaw assembly, generallydesignated by numeral 28,. that is adapted to grip a conventionalwinding key K in, the manner shown in Figs. 1,. 2 and 3. The shank ofthe key K is engaged by the rotary jaw assembly in position extendingupward along the axis of the jaw assembly, The key is shown in Figs. 2and 3 in initial winding. engagement with the end of the sealing band orribbon 30 of the. can C, the can resting on the planar seating surface12 of the, base member 10.

In the construction shown, the rotary jaw assembly 28 be regarded asmerely includes a rotary body 32 having a radial flange 34 that seats ina circumferential recess 35 in the circular opening 26. The rotary body32 lies wholly on one side of the plane of the seating surface 12 of thebase member 10 and preferably the end 36 of the rotary body is flushwith that surface as shown. The rotary body has a suitable aperture 33extending inward from its end 36 to receive the winding key K andsuitable jaw means is provided to grip or clamp the key K in thisaperture.

The jaw means may comprise a single jaw or clamp member 40 that ismovably mounted in the aperture 38 to cooperate with one longitudinalsurface 42 of the aperture for clamping engagement with the key K. Forthis purpose the aperture 38 is so dimensioned and so located that whenthe key is pressed against the longitudinal aperture surface 42 theshank of the key lies along the axis of rotation of the rotary body 32.

The clamp member 40 may be in the form of an upright plate with a shortflange 44 at its upper end turned towards the longitudinal aperturesurface 42, this flange being formed with a central notch 45 to receiveand center the shank of the key K. The width of the end flange 44 isless than the diameter of the key shank and the notch 45 is cut to adepth to permit the key shank to lie flat against the inner face of theclamp member 40. By virtue of this arrangement the clamp member 40 maybe moved towards the longitudinal aperture surface 42 to cause thehandle and part of the shank of the key K to be placed under grippingpressure by extensive portions of both the clamp member 40 and theaperture surface 42, as shown in Fig. 2.

Any suitable means may be employed to control the jaw or clamp member 40for releasably engaging a key K. In this embodiment of the invention theclamp member 40 is rigidly. mounted on an elongated block 46 that isslidingly mounted in a transverse passage 48, this transverse passageintersecting the aperture 38. In the construction shown the transversepassage 48 comprises a diametrical groove in the lower end of the rotarybody 32, this end of the rotary body extending below the base member 10.A crank arm 50 is mounted on this lower end of the rotary body 32 bysuitable screws 52. The crank arm has a cylindrical wall 54 embracingthe end of the rotary body and has a web 55 that extends across thelower end of the body as a bottom wall to complete the transversepassage 48.

Both the elongated block 46 and the transverse passage 48 in which it isslidingly mounted are preferably of square or rectangular cross section.In the construction shown the clamp member 40 is apertured to receive areduced end portion 56 of the elongated block 46 and this reduced endportion is embraced by a retaining collar 58. The reduced end portion 56may be peened for anchorage of the retaining collar.

The elongated block 46 may be moved along the transverse slot 48 by asuitable clamping screw 60 which extends through a radial bore 62 in thecylindrical wall 54 of the crank arm and which is threaded into alongitudinal bore 64 in the elongated block. The clamping screw 60 has aknurled head 65 to facilitate manual rotation.

To hold the clamping screw 60 against longitudinal or axial movementwhile permitting free rotation thereof, the shank of the clamping screwextends through an aperture 66 of an angular clip 68 that is mounted onthe crank arm 50 by a pair of the previously mentioned screws 52. Theshank of the clamping screw has a pair of circumferential flanges 70 inabutment with opposite sides of the angular clip 68. Thus when theclamping screw 60 is rotated, the angular clip 68 holds it againstlongitudinal movement so that rotation of the clamping screws results incorresponding longitudinal movement of the elongated block 46 in thetransverse passage 48.

Since the jaw or clamp member 40 extends upright from the elongatedblock 46 and engages a key K at a distance above the elongated block,the tightening of the clamping screw 60 creates a moment in reaction tothe clamping engagement, which moment tends to rotate the elongatedblock 46 clockwise in a vertical plane as viewed in Fig. 2. As a resultthe outer end of the elongated block presses upward in the transversepassage 48 and the inner end, i. e., the retaining collar 58 pressesdownward against the transverse passage. In this regard it is to benoted that the elongated configuration of the block 46 is important inthat it spaces these two pressure points relatively far apart forincreased effectiveness and minimum looseness or play of the elongatedblock in the transverse passage.

The manner in which the invention functions for its purpose may bereadily understood from the foregoing description. In preparation foropening a can C, the winding key K that accompanies the can is engagedwith the end of the sealing ribbon or band 30 and is given a twist toinitiate the Winding of the band on the key to a sufficient extent tocause the band to hold the key.

With the jaw or clamp member 40 retracted away from the aperture surface42 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the can C is placed on the seating surface12 of the base member 10 with the handle portion of the key extendinginto the aperture 38 between the clamp member 40 and the aperturesurface 42. With the shank of the key registering with the central notch45 of the clamp member, the clamping screw 60 is manually rotated toshift the clamp member towards the aperture surface 42 to clamp the keyagainst the aperture surface as shown in Fig. 2.

The operator then grasps the crank handle 53 and rotates the rotary body32 until the sealing band or ribbon 30 is completely peeled away fromthe can. The can C tends to rotate about the axis of the key K duringthis peeling action and this tendency causes the can to press againstthe upright projection or stop member 72 as shown in Fig. 3. With thestop member 72 blocking lateral shift of the can, the can rotates aboutits own axis on the seating surface 12 as indicated by the arrow in Fig.3 until the winding action peels the sealing ribbon or band 30 free fromthe can. It is then a simple matter to turn the released can upright forremoval of the lid.

It is to be noted that the projection or stop member 72 is positioned onthe margin of the seating surface 12 of the face member 10 at a positionless than degrees from the axis of the rotary jaw assembly 28. Thisangle may be considered as measured either from the center of theseating surface 12 or from the axis of a can seated against thatsurface. Preferably the stop member 72 has a fiat surface as shown forperipheral contact with the cans and the lateral dimension of thissurface is sufficient to cooperate with cans of the different diametersor radial dimensions that are commonly encountered in the kitchen.

Fig. 4 shows how the stop member 72 makes contact with various cans ofvarious configurations and dimensions to hold the cans on the seatingsurface 12 of the base member 10 during the peeling action. C and C-1are configurations of cylindrical cans of different diameter. C-2 is aconfiguration of a relatively fiat can and C-3 is the configuration of agenerally triangular can, these two configurations being commonlyemployed for packing meat products. It can be seen that the stop member72 cooperates with all of these configurations but makes peripheralcontact with each configuration at a different distance from the axis ofthe rotary jaw assembly 28.

After a can has been opened in the described manner it is a simplematter to loosen the clamping screw 60 to retract the jaw or clampmember 40 to permit the key K with the wound sealing band thereon to beremoved and discarded. This final act readies the device for asubsequent repetition of the can-opening procedure.

While the device may be mounted on a wall in the described manner formaximum convenience, it may also be used to open a can with the canpositioned right side up on a flat surface. To carry out such anoperation the device is lifted out of the wall bracketlt'iafterl'oosening of the thumb screw 25. The winding key is-engagedwith the end of the sealing band by initial winding action, as"

heretofore described, so that the sealing ribbonholds the key uprightwith the handle portion above the top of the can.

The base member is then placed upside down on the top of the can withthe key extending into the, aperture 38 of the rotary jaw assembly andthe clamping screw 60 is tightened as heretofore described. The can maythen be held stationary with one hand while the other hand turns thecrank to peel the sealing band away from the can. If the can is heldstationary in this manner the rotating key travels around the peripheryof the can and causes corresponding rotation of the base member 10. Ifdesired, however, the base member 10 may be held stationary with onehand while the crank is rotated, the can being permitted to rotate inthe usual manner'against the projection 72 in response to the. peelingaction.

It is to be noted that the depth of the aperture 38 in the rotary jawassembly is adequate to accommodatee winding keys of differentdimensions and to permitwinding keys to extend to various depths intothe aperture. If a winding key is of a given length, the depth to whichthe winding key extends into the aperture 38 depends'upon the distanceof the sealing ribbon or band 30 from the adjacent end of the can. Ifthe sealing band is close to the end of the can the key will extend intothe aperture 38 to a maximum depth. It has been found that with the end36 of the rotary body 32 flush with the seating surface 12 of the basemember 10, the flange 44 of the clamp member 40 may be approximately ofan inch thick without interfering with the handle portion of a key atthe maximum elevation of the key required for opening any ordinary can.If the thickness of the flange 44 is substantially greater than & of aninch it will unduly limit the range of vertical adjustment of keys inthe rotary jaw assembly.

Fig. 8 indicates how an adapter, generally designated by numeral 75, canbe substituted for both the rotary jaw assembly 28 and the crank arm 50to make it unnecessary to use the winding key K. The adapter may bedesirable, for example, for use in restaurants, since it makes itunnecessary to insert a new winding key in the device for each canopening operation.

The adapter includes an upper bushing 76, a lower bushing 78 and awinding spindle 80 that is integral with the shank 82 of a crank 84. Theupper bushing 75 has a radial flange 85 that rotatably seats in thepreviously mentioned circumferential recess 35 in the circular opening26 and the lower bushing 78' has a radial flange 86 that rotatably abutsthe lower rim of the circular opening. Suitable screws 88 interconnectthe two bushings in a releasable manner with a space 90 between thebushings.

The crank shank 82 is rotatably mounted in the two bushings 76 and '78and is held against axial movement by a collar 92, the collar beingfixedly held on the crank shank by a set screw 94. The collar 92 fitssnugly but in a freely rotatably manner in the space 90 between the twobushings. The winding spindle 80 at the upper end of the crank shank 82has a slot 95 to receive the starting end of the usual sealing band 30.

It is apparent that a can may be placed on the seating surface 12 of thebase member 10 with the starting end of the winding band in the spindleslot 95 and that the crank d4 may then be rotated to wind up the sealingband. As the sealing band is peeled away from the can, the can behavesas heretofore described in abutment against the projection or stopmember 72. After this operation is completed, it is a simple matter toremove the wound sealing band from the spindle 80.

The spindle 86 may be of any suitable configuration, for example theconfiguration set forth in my copending a plication, Serial Number467,058, entitled Device for 6 Removing Circumferential Sealing BandsFrom Cams, and filed on or about November 5th, 1954, which dis closureis hereby made apart of the present disclosure by reference.

My description in detail of the presently preferred embodiments of'theinvention, by way of example and to illustrate the principles involved,will suggest various changes, substitutions'and other departures from mydisclosure thatproperly'lie within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1.'In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a canto free a lid' from one end of the can, said can" being accompanied by awinding key having a handleportion and a shank portion, the combinationof: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of thecan in a sliding manner, said base member having a' circular openingtherein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; awinding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one endjournaled in said opening, said body having an axially extendingaperture in said one end open to said seating surface, the other end ofsaid body extending away from said base member; a crank operativelyconnected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jawmeans in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion'of thekey extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond,whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can,with said key gripped by said jaw means andwith the key engaging the endof said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotatesaid key forpeeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control for saidjaw means mountedon said other end of said body; and a projection fromsaid basemember intersecting the plane of said seating surface forcontact with the periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis ofrotation of said body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the canrelative to the base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slideoff said seating surface in response to the winding operation.

2. In a device for peeling otf the circumferential sealing'band of a canto free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by awinding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combinationof: a base member having a planar surface for sliding contact with saidone end of the can; a manually operable winding member rotatably mountedon said base member with its axis substantially perpendicular to saidsurface; manually operable jaw means on said Winding mem ber forgripping the handle portion of said key with the shank of the keypositioned substantially coaxially of said axis and extending away fromsaid planar surface, whereby with said planar surface in contact withsaid end of the can and with said key gripped by said jaw means andengaging the end of said sealing band, said winding member may bemanually rotatable to peel olf the sealing band; and stop means carriedby said base member and extending outward from said planar surface forabutment against the periphery of the can to oppose the tendency of thecan to slide off said planar surface in response to the windingoperation, said winding member being a cylindrical body lying on oneside of the plane of said surface, said body having an aperture in theend thereof open to said surface to receive the handle portion of saidkey.

3. In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a canto free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by aWinding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combinationof: a base member having a planar surface for sliding con tact with:said one end of the can; a manually operable winding member rotatablymounted on said base member with its axis substantially perpendicular tosaid surface; manually operable jaw means on said winding member forgripping the handle portion of said key with the shank of the keypositioned substantially coaxially of said axis and extending away fromsaid planar surface, whereby with said planar surface in contact withsaid end of the can and with said key gripped by said jaw means andengaging the end of said sealing band, said winding member may bemanually rotatable to peel E the sealing band; and stop means carried bysaid base member and extending outward from said planar surface forabutment against the periphery of the can to oppose the tendency of thecan to slide off said planar surface in response to the windingoperation, said winding member being a cylindrical body lying on oneside of the plane of said surface, said body having an aperture in theend thereof open to said surface to receive the handle portion of saidkey; said jaw means comprising a jaw member movable relative to one sideof said aperture to cooperate with said aperture side for gripping thehandle portion of the key.

4."In a device for peeling off the circumferential seal ing band of acan to free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied bya winding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, thecombination of: a base member having a surface to seat against said oneend of the can in a sliding manner, said base member having a circularopening therein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to saidsurface; a winding member in the form of a cylindrical body having oneend journaled in said opening, said body having an axially extendingaperture in said one end open to said seating surface, the other end ofsaid body extending away from said base member; a crank operativelyconnected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jawmeans in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion of thekey extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond,whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can,with said key gripped by said jaw means and with the key engaging theend of said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotate said keyfor peeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control forsaid jaw means mounted on said other end of said body; and a projectionfrom said base member intersecting the plane of said seating surface forcontact with the periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis ofrotation of said body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the canrelative to the base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slideoff said seating surface in response to the winding operation; thespacing of said projection from the axis of rotation of said cylindricalbody being less I than 90 degrees relative to the axis of the can.

5. In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a canto free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by awinding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combinationof: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of thecan in a sliding manner, said base member having a circular openingtherein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; awinding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one endjournaled in said opening, said body having an axially extendingaperture in said one end open to said seating surface, the other end ofsaid body extending away from said base member; a crank operativelyconnected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jawmeans in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion of thekey extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond,whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can,with said key gripped by said jaw means and with the key engaging theend of said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotate said keyfor peeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control forsaid jaw means mounted on said other end of said body; and a projectionfrom said base member intersecting the plane of said face, the other endof seating surface for contact with the periphery of the can at a pointspaced from the axis of rotation of said body in the peripheraldirection of rotation of the can relative to the base member to opposethe tendency of the can to slide off said seating surface in response tothe winding operation; said jaw means comprising a jaw member in saidaperture movable relative to one side of the aperture to cooperate withsaid aperture side for gripping said key.

6. In a device for peeling off the circumferential scaling band of a canto free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by awinding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combinationof: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of thecan in a sliding manner, said base member having a circular openingtherein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; awinding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one end journaled in said opening, said body having an axially extending aperture insaid one end open to said seating surface, the other end of said bodyextending away from said base member; a crank operatively connected withsaid other end of said body for rotation thereof; jaw means in saidaperture to grip said key with the shank portion of the key extendingalong said axis through said seating plane and beyond, whereby with saidseating surface in contact with said end of the can, with said keygripped by said jaw means and with the key engaging the end of saidsealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotate said key for peelingthe sealing band away from the can; a manual control for said jaw meansmounted on said other end of said body; and a projection from said basemember intersecting the plane of said seating surface for contact withthe periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis of rotation ofsaid body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can relative tothe base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off saidseating surface in response to the Winding operation; said jaw meanscomprising a jaw member in said aperture movable relative to one side ofthe aperture to cooperate with said aperture side for gripping said key;said jaw member having a central recess to receive the shank of saidkey.

7. In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a canto free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by awinding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combinationof: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of thecan in a sliding manner, said base member having a circular openingtherein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; awinding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one endjournaled in said opening, said body having an axially extendingaperture in said one end open to said seating sur said body extendingaway from said base member; a crank operatively connected with saidother end of said body for rotation thereof; jaw means in said apertureto grip said key with the shank portion of the key extending along saidaxis through said seating plane and beyond, whereby with said seatingsurface in contact with said end of the can, with said key gripped bysaid jaw means and with the key engaging the end of said sealing band,said crank may be rotated to rotate said key for peeling the sealingband away from the can; a manual control for said jaw means mounted onsaid other end of said body; a projection from said base memberintersecting the plane of said seating surface for contact with theperiphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis of rotation of saidbody in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can relative to thebase member to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said seatingsurface in response to the winding oper ation; a passage in saidcylindrical body intersecting said aperture; a slide member slidinglymounted on said passage; a jaw member rigidly carried by said slidemember and extending therefrom into said aperture to cooperate with oneside of the aperture for gripping said key; and a manually rotatablescrew threaded into said slide member longitudinally thereof, said screwbeing held against axial movement whereby rotation of the screw shiftssaid slide member in said passage to cause said jaw member to move intoand out of clamping engagement with said key.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Bodin et a1. Jan. 13, 1953 Stiller Apr. 14, 1953Bahler Oct. 19, 1954 Druilhet a Mar. 1, 1955

